Think abouts…
From Dave Van Loo: Some of our teachers are concluding a “cause and effect” relationship between the establishment of the 50% floor and high absenteeism. Below are data that should provide useful and informative context. Please forward this information to your teachers.
Chronic absenteeism this year has skyrocketed at our elementary schools, where there is no such thing as a “50%/no zeros grading rule”. The same trend shows at our middle schools. A quick Google search reveals that increased absenteeism has been a huge national issue since the start of the pandemic. In light of all these data, it is incredibly hard to fathom that this one change in grading would be a cogent, defensible, or probable causal factor explaining attendance trends.
To me, maybe the most interesting and important piece of this discussion is if we could assume that this one change in practice is the primary causal factor in HS attendance. What would that tell us if this were the main determinant of whether students come to school? Might it tell us that–
- We’ve created systems that teach students to prioritize and value grades over learning? The most important thing for students isn’t what content they remember and use 1, 5, or 10 years in the future, but what grade they received?
- Grading is more a transactional tool for compensating students than a tool for communicating and providing feedback about their mastery of supposedly important content?
- Our best tool for motivating students is not ensuring that every day, in every class, all students experience a culture that builds human connection, competence, purpose, belonging, and lifelong learning – but the threat of low grades as punishment?
There is no doubt a serious problem in that situation, but the problem is not within the student.
There is a massive body of evidence that students’ engagement in school predictably declines with each major transition from elementary to middle, and middle to high. Is it just a coincidence that this maps so neatly with typical changes in grading practices and increasing weight given to grades?
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A read shared by Dave Van Loo: We have not yet grasped the level of learning loss our students have experienced during our pandemic and what it will take to help them recover: https://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/q-just-how-much-is-22-weeks-of-lost-instruction/.
To Do:
Secondary administrators: plan to join the Equitable Grading Think Tank on June 8th to hear the final recommendations the team drafted. We will be meeting in Perseverance Hall at Bend Senior High at 3:30-4:30 to talk about the process, outcomes, and next steps. Please ensure your admin team and 2-3 ICCL team members can join. This is a teacher workday SIW so their time can come from the ICCL extra 60 hours requirement. We look forward to seeing you there.
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Please share this with your Staff: For the last several years (minus the lost year to CoVid) Bend-La Pine has put on an amazing conference. The incredible teachers of Bend-La Pine share with their peers the beautiful work that they have been doing. Along with national level speakers, BLP teachers share the innovative work that happens in our schools every day.
We are excited to bring the Innovative Teaching and Learning Conference back again this year with over 30 educators sharing what they are doing in their classrooms every day.
You can register at this link. Click on the Sections tab part way down the screen to see the registration.
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Information:
From Lora: Andrea Wilson has posted the corrected/amended calendar for 22-23 school year. Here are links to the calendars: Bend & South County, BTA@ Marshall. Just so all of you know, we are providing one additional work day/training day on next year’s calendar: Thursday, February 2nd, the day before the end-of-semester teacher work day:
- For certified staff, this will be a WORK DAY. The district will be participating in a systems performance review, and one part of that process will involve teachers’ submissions of sample assignments, student work, etc. Teachers will have the 2nd to complete these tasks.
- All classified staff WILL report on the 2nd, as well. Supervisors may use this as a training day. This would be a great time for EA training, as well.
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From TLC – For the last several years (minus the lost year to CoVid) Bend-La Pine has put on an amazing conference. The incredible teachers of Bend-La Pine share with their peers the beautiful work that they have been doing. Along with national level speakers, BLP teachers share the innovative work that happens in our schools every day. We are excited to bring the Innovative Teaching and Learning Conference back again this year with over 30 educators sharing what they are doing in their classrooms every day. You can register at this link. Click on the Sections tab part way down the screen to see the registration.
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Luna Dollars for 22-23: Next year, we will again allocate 12 hours per school/per week to each school to use to pay teachers for after school support or in school support during period 7. Send those time sheets to Dean.
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GED Testing: We will continue GED test support/testing at our schools next year through our OSSM’s. Students will have the option to take only the subject area test(s) they need for credit versus taking the entire battery of tests. Students must be 16 and at least a year behind (7.5) in credits. This is NOT a speed boat option, but rather a life boat plan to be used in rare circumstances. Approval should be given by the principal and the student’s counselor. The expectation continues to be to serve GED students at our home schools and NOT to refer them to COIC unless there are extenuating circumstances. Amy Tarnow is our lead for GED, so please reach out to her with questions.
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From Scott in IT – Hotspot questions are starting to be the “hot” item. Here are a few frequently asked questions:
Do students have to return their hotspots on the last day of school No, instead please allow your families who are using district provided hotspots to continue using them for summer learning opportunities.
Do Athletic program hotspots need to be returned by the last day of school? Yes- These devices are not managed the same. If you do not return it, we will not be able to get activated again for you in the fall.
Will we continue to support hotspots for families next year? I hope not! Many of our students and families who need hotspots also reside in areas without reliable connectivity. We are working to find a community partner who will provide a more robust connectivity solution to support families beyond the academic needs of their children. Since this is still a work in progress, hotspots will be available as our parachute in the fall.
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Calendar:
HERE is the calendar for meetings for the year
Here is a sample Learning Walk schedule you can use as a guide to plan that visit.
June 8: Equitable Grading HS/MS, ICCL presentation @ BSHS Perseverance Hall 3:30-4:30
June 9-June 14: Graduations!
June 17: Last Day of School!
June 21: All Admin Breakfast 8:00-9:30 @ Ed Center/Room 314
June 24: Principals only breakfast and work session 8-11 @ BSHS Perseverance Hall.
